


Nerf Wars

by ambrosius



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-04-01 22:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4036996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambrosius/pseuds/ambrosius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: <i>I came home to a Nerf gun on the front porch and a note that says ‘Here is your weapon. I have one too. Good luck. xo’ AU</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Nerf Wars

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt above, which can be found [here](http://kenaiskoda.tumblr.com/post/119898437912/established-relationship-aus).

Arthur sighed to himself, resting his head back against his seat while he waited for the next stop. Usually the tube ride home was a time for him to relax, but after the utterly shite day he had everything was irritating him. He shifted in his seat in an attempt to put some more space between the woman next to him who, if she kept up her gesticulating while she spoke, was close to whacking him with her hand. All Arthur really could do was simply fold his arms across his chest and wish that he was home all ready. 

Working directly under his father at Camelot Enterprises was an immense challenge in itself, especially as he was soon to replace him as CEO. Combine that with a day filled with negotiating with businesses that were uncompromising and his father’s perpetual disappointment in him, and well, Arthur had about all he could take.

He didn’t even have time to call Merlin when he usually did during his lunch break or even send him an SOS text. It also wasn't helping that his text to let Merlin know he was finally leaving the office went unheeded.

At this point all he really wanted to do was curl up with his boyfriend and go to sleep. He could just feel the overwhelming tiredness of the day pulling him down.

Arthur had never been more thankful tomorrow was the weekend and that he didn’t have to go into the office whatsoever. Gods, he really needed to take that vacation Merlin kept harping on him about. Maybe they could go somewhere warm, with a beach, and the sun blazing down on them.

Arthur shook his head, it wouldn’t do to fall asleep daydreaming about the sun of all things and miss his stop.

Grabbing his briefcase, he got up as the announcement for his stop was made. The rest of his trip back to the house was quick and soon he was shuffling up the steps to the front door.

Of course, it was then that Arthur nearly tripped over something lying on the ground as he went to take another step.

“What the hell?” Arthur mumbled, crouching down to take a look at it. 

He scrunched up his face briefly, taking in the foam darts and plastic gun for a moment, before laughing softly to himself.

_Seriously, a Nerf gun? Really?_ Arthur had forgotten that they even had a pair of them.

It had been a housewarming gift from Gwaine who claimed that this way Merlin could just shoot him with foam darts whenever he acted like a prat.

“A more interesting Pavlov experiment,” Gwaine had smirked, as Merlin laughed, clutching his stomach. Needless to say, the pair had been packed away (by Arthur, of course) in the hallway closet ever since.

He picked it up, turning it over in his hands before detaching the note that was taped onto it.

_Here is your weapon. I have one too. Good luck._  
_xo Merlin_

Arthur shook his head fondly. _Oh, it was on._

***

Arthur opened the door slowly, discarding his suit jacket and briefcase on the floor just inside the door, and looked around.

If there was one thing that Arthur knew about Merlin was that he couldn’t be sneaky to save his life. He usually could only get so far before he would stumble a little, or if he didn’t, he would always start laughing to himself, proud that he hadn't managed to give himself away, and _then_ Arthur would promptly realize where Merlin was at. 

Arthur ran and ducked behind the sofa in the living room, rolling up his dress shirt’s sleeves. He rolled his shoulders as if he was preparing for battle and took a quick peek over the top of the sofa.

There was no movement from any direction, which only served to make Arthur feel even more suspicious. He knew Merlin had the advantage here, so he had to be cautious, especially as he had yet to hear any tell tale signs of laughter.

He took one more glance around before making the decision to move out of the living room.

As soon as he was on his feet, he felt a foam dart hit the side of his head.

“What the fuck?” Arthur muttered, surprised, quickly glancing up towards the stairs as he rubbed his head where he had been hit.

“I can’t believe you just did that!” Arthur hollered up to Merlin. He could faintly hear Merlin giggling to himself.

“It was an easy target!” Merlin shouted back.

“You cheeky little sod,” Arthur laughed, maneuvering his way towards Merlin. Two could play that game.

Arthur ran up the stairs, letting out a battle cry, while attempting to dodge the darts that Merlin was shooting at him.

As soon as he made it to the top of the stairs, Arthur began a counterattack and aimed his Nerf gun towards Merlin’s retreating back. He kept hitting him directly on the arse with the darts and Merlin yelped whenever one made contact.

Arthur laughed loudly, feeling his eyes well up with tears from laughing so much, as Merlin turned around with a petulant look on his face.

“Keep hitting me there and see how far that gets you.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Arthur replied, lifting his hands in a placating gesture. “How many darts do you have left, by the way?”

Merlin glanced down at his Nerf gun. “Just one. You?”

“Two," Arthur grinned. "Ha, you shouldn’t have used them all up shooting at me on the stairs.”

Merlin rolled his eyes in response. “I’ll have you know, I hit you way more times than you hit me.”

“Whatever you have to tell yourself.”

Merlin narrowed his eyes at him. “Fine, pistols at dawn?”

“What?”

“A duel," Merlin explained. "Just go stand at the other end of the hall,” he shooed him with his hands. “And I’ll stay here and we’ll see who hits the other the quickest.”

“You’re serious?” Arthur questioned, an eyebrow raised.

“Of course I am,” Merlin retorted. “Now go on.”

Arthur marched his way down the corridor and turned back around towards Merlin when he was nearing the wall at the end of the hall.

This had to be one of the oddest, yet most hilarious things he had ever done in his life.

“On three?” Arthur asked.

“On three,” Merlin confirmed, nodding.

“One… two… three…”

Arthur lifted up the Nerf gun as fast as he possibly could, pulling the trigger, and sending a dart that hit Merlin in the abdomen, while Merlin’s shot grazed the top of his shoulder a moment after.

Arthur cheered in victory, ambling his way back over towards Merlin with a bright grin on his face.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Merlin mumbled. “I just let you win.”

“Ha,” Arthur barked out a laugh. “In your dreams, Emrys.”

Merlin just shook his head, looking at Arthur with a mixture of exasperation and fondness.

“You know what would really put me over the edge, happiness wise,” Arthur smiled, throwing his arm across Merlin’s shoulders, and gesturing a little with his Nerf gun.

“You want to do a barrel roll and shoot me with your last dart,” Merlin deadpanned.

Arthur nodded vehemently, biting back at laugh. Honestly, Merlin knew him too well.

Merlin sighed loudly, though Arthur could tell he was holding back a smile, before giving in. “All right, I’ll be in the kitchen.”

Arthur squeezed Merlin’s shoulder in response, a bright smile still covering his face.

***

Arthur was feeling lighter than he had in awhile. His awful day and _week_ even seemed far behind him at the moment. Now all Arthur needed was for that feeling to last.

As he bounded down the stairs, he couldn’t help but snicker and fervently hope that Merlin had the foresight to film this because Arthur doubted he would ever have the excuse to attempt this again.

Making his way towards the kitchen, he noted Merlin sitting on a stool, leaning his elbows against the counter of the island, phone in hand. Arthur was grateful that the opening between the living room and kitchen was a rather spacious one.

He shook his arms out, psyching himself up, and began jogging towards Merlin. Right before he entered the kitchen, Arthur threw himself down, landing on his arm with the Nerf gun tucked in against his stomach, and rolled himself all the way over, before getting up on one knee, pointing the Nerf gun Merlin's way. Gathering his bearings, he took aim and hit Merlin in the middle of the chest.

He beamed at Merlin as he got up from the ground. "I should have been a spy."

Merlin set his phone down onto the counter (Arthur thanked his lucky stars that he did film it), his shoulders shaking with laughter, and smiled indulgently as Arthur approached him. "Clearly, you've missed your calling."

Arthur nestled himself between Merlin’s legs, his hands resting on either side of Merlin’s shoulder, and pressed his forehead against Merlin’s.

“Thank you,” he whispered, before leaning down and pressing his lips against Merlin’s in a chaste kiss.

Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur’s waist pulling him in closer.

Arthur smiled softly at him, moving his hand to cup Merlin’s cheek, and dragged his thumb across Merlin’s cheekbone.

“I figured you needed some fun,” Merlin said, leaning into Arthur’s touch. “And I found those a few days ago when I decided I needed to clean everything.”

“Well, thank god you did.”

“I must say it was one of my rather brilliant ideas.”

“Definitely.”

Merlin placed a kiss to Arthur’s open palm. “Is everything okay though? Be honest.”

“It’s fine, nothing more than I can’t handle,” Arthur shrugged.

“Arthur,” Merlin groaned, leaning back a little. “I said be honest.”

“I am,” Arthur stated. And he was, while sometimes, especially lately, things had begun piling up at work due to his father's upcoming retirement, but he knew that he could always step away from his work responsibilities once he was home with Merlin.

“When Uther retires in a few weeks, things will be less hectic and I’ll probably be less of a pain.”

Merlin snorted, shaking his head. “Here’s hoping.”

“Oi,” Arthur gasped, his hand resting against his heart in mock offense. “What have I ever done to deserve this?”

Merlin merely laughed some more and dragged Arthur down into a messy kiss.

“I love you something stupid, you know,” Merlin murmured, glancing up at Arthur through his lashes.

Arthur felt a fond warmth course through him as he captured Merlin’s lips in another kiss. 

“I know, Merlin, I love you too,” he replied, when they broke apart. “More than I can say.”

“Good, I would hate to waste my absolutely impeccable cheering up skills on someone who didn’t. I mean really, what a tragedy that would be. You’re lucky to have me.”

Arthur grinned at him in response, the two of them staring at each other with the utmost amount of fond.

Arthur knew he was lucky indeed.


End file.
